how did the aztec civilization lead up to cortes conquers aztec and maya for spain
The Aztec civilization was at its peak when the Spanish conquistadors, led by Hernan Cortes, arrived in the early 16th century. The Aztecs had established a powerful empire in central Mexico, with their capital city of Tenochtitlan serving as the center of trade, religion, and politics.
However, the Aztecs had also made many enemies through their expansionist policies, and Cortes was able to exploit these tensions to his advantage. He formed alliances with rival indigenous groups who were eager to overthrow Aztec rule, and he also had superior military technology, such as horses, cannons, and firearms, which the Aztecs had never seen before.
Cortes and his men also used tactics of psychological warfare, such as spreading rumors of their invincibility and exploiting the beliefs of the Aztecs in prophecies of a bearded god returning to conquer them. This, combined with the devastating effects of diseases brought by the Spanish, weakened the Aztec resistance.
In 1521, after a lengthy siege, Cortes and his allies finally overcame the Aztecs and captured Tenochtitlan. This marked the end of the Aztec Empire and the beginning of Spanish colonization in the region. The conquest of the Aztec and Maya civilizations by Cortes and other conquistadors played a crucial role in expanding Spanish influence in the Americas and laying the foundation for the colonization of Mexico and other parts of Latin America.